Conceived Deception
by Alece
Summary: Post BNACAP:At the beginning of Winter Break, Rory persuades Logan to assist her in helping her mother out at Emily and Richard's vow renewal and it's got Logan wondering how he thought even pretending to be on intimate terms with Rory was a good idea
1. Newsroom Hullabaloo

A/N: Thanks to **jenn** for alerting me of the error I had in the Lucky Charms jingle!

Conceived Deception

1: Newsroom Hullabaloo

"Oh, it's you," was the only comment made in response to Rory's return which culminated in what appeared to be her lifeless body lying on the couch.

"I hate finals," the prostrate figure groaned.

Satisfied that signs of life were present, Paris returned to her work, "Says the person who has taken her last one of the term."

"Like cramming them all into three days versus the normal five is easy?"

"I don't know what you're complaining about Gilmore. Your responsibilities for the next two days are minimal where as I still have the worst of my exams left to go. Stop gripping."

Rory mumbled something under her breath which caused an outburst. "Break? How can you even suggest taking a break to me? I have to finish cramming in the next twenty minutes, put in my time at the paper, and then – what are you doing?"

"The paper," Rory said as she gathered up her carelessly discarded messenger bag and headed for the door. "Thank god you reminded me, or else I wouldn't have and that would have been awful."

Paris let out a frustrated sort of groan as her roommate shut the door while still muttering about possible misfortunes.

Exactly twenty-five minutes later Paris entered the newsroom and continued to her desk, all the while being assaulted by the sound of the entire staff being hard at work on the last issue of the year – even Huntzberger appeared to be working. As she was settling in to polish the religion article that was going to be placed on the front page, Doyle, who had been observing his dedicated workers, marched out of his office a determined look on his face. Seeing that he was headed her way, Paris began switching on her computer and pulling out her notes, preparing the update he would be demanding from her shortly.

"Gilmore!" Doyle barked, not even sparing a glance for the woman he'd been sleeping with for the past month.

Rory's compulsive pencil tapping ceased instantly. "Doyle."

"Don't you have anything to work on? Or haven't you noticed that everyone else is contributing to the paper going out with a slam bank finish?" Hell, even Huntzberger's found a way to make a contribution."

Rory stood up out of annoyance, "First off Doyle, I handed my article for the issue last week. Second, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for your mandatory desk time. And thirdly, I would wait for proof before crediting Logan with doing anything selflessly, as a favor to anyone unless getting something out of it isn't, at the very least, a possibility."

Luckily one of the other writers came to take the boss away, Doyle sent her a somewhat pointed look before allowing himself to be pulled away. Rory was then faced with Logan looking ruefully up at her. She attempted to change her expression to one of haughtiness and forced it to remain there as she reached for her ringing phone.

"Lorelai Gilmore."

"Bad day?" the caller asked.

"What was your first clue?" Rory asked as she settled back into her chair, swiveling to face the wall behind her.

"You mean, besides the use of your whole name in a tone freakishly like my mother's?" Lorelai didn't wait for an answer, "Shouldn't this be a happy day, what with no finals to study for? Not to mention anticipation of our long awaited mother-daughter shopping extravaganza!"

"Well someone is obviously excited about it," Rory commented. The hint of mockery in her voice caught the attention of the people passing by. Namely Logan on his way to the printer.

"You mean you're not?" Lorelai's tone was that of a person highly offended.

"Yes, that would explain it's presence in my planner, however," the younger Gilmore spun around and flipped the page, "It's accompanied by hearts and stars."

"Horseshoes, clovers, and blue moons, pots of gold, rainbows, and the red balloon?"

"Unfortunately no."

"You disappoint me, Rory. I specifically told you that when your subconscious begins making references to cartoons created from comic genius you should never be a fifty percenter, either related to it in full or not at all."

"Well," Rory stated out slowly, "I believe the established rule is that each reference is allowed one blunder as a test to its level of usefulness in applicability." Catching sight of a certain blond on route toward her she took a moment to consider the next words she spoke. "It was our first time trying that one; maybe we just need some practice."

"Ew! You're my daughter, gross."

The giggle that erupted from Rory at her mother's refusal to hear anything with sexual implications from her (the exact one she had been counting upon) caused Logan to pause. She responded to his quirked eyebrow with a casual shrug that, strangely enough, sent him on his way.

"I'm safe to assume that remark was not made to benefit me but someone else." There was a pause and when her daughter didn't interrupt Lorelai went on, "Having assumed correctly I will go as far as to declare it was used to get the attention of a certain charmer I like to refer to as Limo Boy."

"Yes, well, charm is relative; you of all people should know that."

"It's not like I was accusing you of liking him," Lorelai said, a smile on her face at her daughter's flustered response.

"I have to go," Rory told her mother, desperate to avoid what was coming as long as possible.

"Where's the fire?"

"There's no fire," Rory told her firmly. "I just have places to go, and people to see. You're familiar with the concept, right?"

"People?" Lorelai asked intrigued, "What people? Do I know them? More importantly, do I like them?"

"I'll let you know Friday."

She promptly put the phone in its cradle, knowing the lack of negotiation time would fuel her mother's indiscrete prodding. Rory let out a lamented sigh as she picked up her bag and switched off her blank computer screen, she then stole from the news room, intentionally ignoring Doyle's yells about getting his full hour.


	2. Kidnapped Or Liberated

Conceived Deception

2: Kidnapped Or Liberated

There was no differentiating between the steam escaping the large coffee in Rory's hand and what the temperature was doing to her breath. But that might have had everything to do with the cup's proximity to her glossed lips. It was after swallowing an amount of the heated liquid that two people with dubious intentions appeared out of nowhere near her elbows.

Overbearingly they apprehended them both (her elbows) and started leading her in the opposite direction of her intended destination (her dorm). Little did these two know that a Gilmore's forbearance runs out the instant you rob her of the sweet nectar she was brought up on. Her cup's sudden placement in a trash receptacle finally drew a reaction from their somewhat hesitant charge.

"Was that really necessary?"

"'Fraid so love," said the person in charge of her left appendage. "Frankly your dependency on the stuff is alarming."

"You think I'm bad, you should meet my mother."

"Yes that would be nice, "the offender on her right offered his cursory opinion.

"I know, even if I ask, you won't tell me where we're going," Rory commented after neither boy shoed the inclination of breaking the silence that had settled in amongst the three as they continued walking toward their unknown destination.

"I'm glad to see she's regained her self-possession."

That was the stooge on her right.

"And cottoning on to our ways."  
The one on her left.

"Will you, at the very least, explain to what I owe this unwanted interruption to my day?"

Their identical Cheshire grins slowly transformed into equally similar frowns. After sharing a look around 'Reporter Girl' as they had dubbed her, the man on her right, the more level-headed of the two, answered, "We are here to do you a favor."

Rory didn't like the sound of that at all. She seriously doubted that anything they considered a favor would strike her in quite that light, but there was no getting out of it. They'd led her too far to allow her to turn back now.

So there was only one person surprised to find the trio occupying one of the more isolated booths The Pub had to offer its patrons.


	3. Conned Assistance

Conceived Deception

3: Conned Assistance

They obtained the Gilmore's goodwill by upgrading her previously discarded cart coffee with the superb cappuccino she now held in her hand. Two of the three stooges were happy to listen as Rory regaled them with descriptions of the rather unusual environment she grew up in. When she reached the arrival of Hell-on-wheels among the sleepy occupants of Stars Hollow the guys became enraptured. Apparently the notion of her being drawn to another man while still in a committed relationship was big news. Rory wondered idly about what their reaction to the Dean affair would be.

As someone approached the unlikely set he observed his friends' leaning positions in the reporter's direction and mused over what she could say that would hold their attention so completely.

Not caring if he'd be welcome Logan arrived at the booth and took a previously vacant seat among them. When Colin and Finn both failed to acknowledge his arrival Logan transferred his attention to the person who had them so enthralled. Rory had a smile dancing around the corners of her mouth and when her gaze came across his, her eyes expressed delight at knowing something he didn't.

"Wow," Finn's tone was disputing for the most part. A one word response from him meant Rory had declared something that was either unexpected coming from her or something he had yet to experience. Seeing as it was Finn, Logan assumed it was the former.

"Care to share?"

Hearing the poorly disguised interest in the question Rory, the only one paying any attention to him, supplied the repartee. "Whatever are you talking about Logan?" Her face took on a smug look that he would have called her on had her handbag not rung at that moment.

After checking the caller id she answered and sighed, "You had better not be suggesting what I think you're suggesting." Glancing up she noticed they were all eavesdropping unabashedly to her side of the conversation. "It's a fantastically foolish idea. Nothing short of my showing up affianced to someone of sufficient wealth and circumstance could possible distract her from _that_. And you know it.

"Say I do this for you, how would I be repaid for undertaking such a venture?" Rory remained silent for a full five minutes as the suggested payment was explained, her face impassive. "I'll need that in a notarized document before it can officially be translated into actions but I'll start calling in favors tonight. You know you will be repaying me forever? Good. Yeah, see you then."

Replacing her cell phone to it's place in her purse Rory signaled a waitress and ordered a rum and coke causing raised eyebrows to be sent her direction. "I wanted to make sure it wasn't too soon, meeting the family can be intimidating. Yeah, that'll work," she smiled appreciatively as her order was set in front of her, "Not to find the right man for the job."

So focused on the task at hand Rory seemed to have forgotten the gentlemen were there. And, because they had no notion of just how misleading her appearance could be, they all, Logan most of all, underestimated how much of her mother's infamous falsity Rory possessed.

Nothing else could have accounted for the invitation slipped under his door later that night. He had a vow renewal to attend the following weekend where he was to be introduced as Rory's beau. God help him.


	4. Afternoon Crumbles

Conceived Deception

4: Afternoon Crumbles

They had decided to get together the following day. To discuss details. However, the specifics of their scheme couldn't have been further from Rory's mind. How had she convinced Huntzberger to enter such a flawed plan? Rory hadn't been able to answer Paris' question and had proceeded to see the many ways where it could go wrong, all of which would be her fault.

She had begun rethinking the reasons her grandfather had been involved in her last prank and if Logan was using this to get her back. The last thing they needed was him coming in with a hidden agenda that would throw the whole thing off for sure. Maybe Colin would have been the better choice. But, if Rory was honest with herself, she knew that Logan would be more convincing in the part and that made relying on him all the harder.

Upon entering the restaurant and seeing her back facing him Logan almost high-tailed it out of there, but something about Rory's posture stopped him. Slumped shoulders were new for her. They stripped her of the indestructible thing she'd had going since the day he'd met her, made the seemingly impenetrable wall a feather weight to push aside and for some unfathomable reason, Logan didn't want to be associated with anything that made her feel that way.

Logan approached the table slowly, telling himself he wouldn't let his involvement extend past the following Saturday, if it did, he knew it could only spell trouble.

When a hand was placed on her shoulder Rory's heart thudded painfully, something she chose to attribute to startlement, refusing to consider it being because of anything else.

Immediately pushing her worries away to deal with later, Rory assumed her role in the dueling duo. "And here I was thinking my giving you a full twenty-four hours to talk yourself out of helping me had been a mistake. What, you couldn't think of an argument that would hold up?"

Reminded of their encounter the previous day, Logan knew what she meant most likely didn't mean what she was saying. Rory wouldn't look him in the eye but she was twisting her hands in front of her. Logan reached out to hold them still before planning on answering. She looked from their hands to his face and Logan felt his breath barricade in his chest. There were so many things there, so many emotions; they made him open his mouth to speak only to frown instead. After an almost imperceptible shake of the head he asked something he'd been wondering about all morning, "How do you think they'll take it?"

Allowing him to deflect her question, Rory came up with an answer easy enough, "They'll love it, I mean, my grandfather already thinks you have capable hands Logan."

"He said that didn't he?"

A waitress passed their table on the way to the kitchen. "Uh huh, more coffee and menus please," the woman nodded and a smile broke out on Rory's face, "Thank you." They seemed to have abandoned their previous conversation after ordering lunch and neither knew how to break the awkward silence.

"I'm surprised you didn't order."

"Something you should know about me Logan, I like to tell the truth as must as possible, it keeps the important lies I tell easier to keep track of. When I said I would wait for you, meant it."

She was looking him straight in the eye now and the intense look in Rory's ocean blue eyes when she said she would wait for him made Logan uncomfortable. "What?" he asked when her head tilted in a curious way.

"What's wrong? I can tell something's wrong," Rory made a circular motion with her pointed finger, "That look on your face says something's wrong." A nervous smile broke out on Logan's face and as he took some bills out of his wallet and made to set them on the table Rory began to protest, "Oh no, you don't have to –"

"I need air," he stood up unceremoniously and gestured to the space in front of him, "Shall we?"

Logan knew his years of etiquette training were paying off when he instinctively placed his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her out the restaurant's door. Glancing down he had to tell himself to remove said hand from the area near her waist, lingering there definitely was advised against in the rule book.

She seemed to sigh when he took it away but his formulating smirk faded when Rory said excitedly, "Smells like snow. It won't b tonight," she sniffed the air another time and said confidently, "Sunday, you watch, it'll happen Sunday."

"We'll see."

The corners of Rory's mouth turned up as she gave her companion a quick look. "I guess so, but I should let you know," she continued with a mischievous hint in her tone. "We Gilmores have a sixth sense; instead of dead people, it's all about the snow."

"Oh really?" Logan couldn't have looked more disbelieving if he'd tried.

'Really," she affirmed.

"Huh."

She nodded her head. "You're from New York."

"Who told you?"

"Jess was from New York," Rory said matter-of-factly, "Spent time in California, moved back last year though."

"Friend?"

"Sure." Her answer was noncommittal at best and not at all reassuring to her companion who couldn't figure out why that bothered him. Until Rory gave him an appraising look and said, "He was a lot like you." Then it really bothered him and that was when Logan knew he was in for a rough ride.

Logan was lost wondering how Rory had managed to snare him before he even knew the pitfall was being laid when she said, "Unceremoniously being pulled away from a meal can be made up for with the buying of ice cream, Rule 37." He didn't appear to have heard her. Shocked that the mention of the Gilmore Girl Rule Book hadn't elicited the standard, "You come with rules?" response she looked over at him and stopped. When he continued walking, Rory knew something was up.

Deciding indignation would receive a better welcome than concern, Rory made sure she sounded upset when she all but yelled, "Logan Huntzberger, I do not respond well to being ignored!"

That stopped him fast enough. He pivoted slowly and was faced with a seemingly enraged woman advancing on him.

"And I'll have you know," she continued, "That I am not at all opposed to enforcing the required punishment for breaking Rule 37."

It was said in such a tone that Logan couldn't tell if she was being serious or just messing with him. "And what punishment would that be Ace?"

Rory took his hand in hers in a gesture that both would have deemed too familiar, "Oh, you'll know."

After she said that Logan was led at a comfortable pace down the sidewalk, awed by her blatantly flirtatious comment along with the realization that she was still holding his hand.

He could feel his certainty begin to crumble around the edges.

A/N: Hi everyone! That's all I've got so far and was wonder how you like it so far? Any suggestions? Criticisms? Don't be shy, REVIEW and tell me what you think. I'll try to get some more up within the week. Toodles - Alece


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